MARC GUEHI’S BRUTALLY HONEST VERDICT AFTER ENGLAND’S WORLD CUP HEARTBREAK APPEARS TO QUESTION THOMAS TUCHEL’S TACTICS
England’s dream of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup final ended in devastating fashion as Argentina staged a dramatic late comeback to win 2-1 in the semi-finals, and the fallout has already raised serious questions about Thomas Tuchel’s tactical decisions.
The Three Lions looked to be in control when Anthony Gordon fired them into the lead early in the second half. However, instead of continuing to attack, England gradually retreated deeper into their own half, allowing Argentina to dominate possession and build relentless pressure.
That approach ultimately proved costly.
Lionel Messi once again showed why he remains one of football’s greatest players, creating both of Argentina’s goals. Enzo Fernández equalised in the 85th minute with a stunning strike before Lautaro Martínez headed home Messi’s cross in stoppage time to send the reigning world champions into the final against Spain.
England, meanwhile, were left to prepare for the third-place playoff after another painful tournament exit.
Following the match, criticism quickly turned towards Tuchel’s game management. His decision to switch to a more defensive system after England took the lead was heavily questioned by pundits, particularly after introducing extra defenders instead of attacking players while Argentina continued to pile on pressure.
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart claimed the tactical changes suggested Tuchel no longer believed his team could control the match, while Wayne Rooney described England’s performance as “too passive” and argued the substitutions invited Argentina back into the contest.
England captain Harry Kane also admitted the team changed its mentality after going ahead.
“Once we went 1-0 up we seemed to just try and hold on, which at this level is just not enough,” Kane admitted after the final whistle.
Perhaps the strongest comments came from centre-back Marc Guehi, whose post-match interview appeared to echo the growing criticism of England’s approach.
“We should have carried on,” Guehi said. “We should have carried on pushing. It kind of felt like we scored and then the mentality was to go back and defend.”
Although Guehi stopped short of directly blaming the manager, his remarks reflected the frustration many supporters felt as England surrendered control of the match.
When asked whether this squad still has what it takes to finally win a major international trophy, Guehi gave an emotional and honest response.
“I don’t know. I don’t know. It’s hard to think about the future right now. At this moment, it’s just disappointment.”
The statistics only reinforced England’s struggles. During the final half-hour while leading 1-0, England reportedly managed just 12% possession, highlighting how little control they had as Argentina dominated the closing stages.
Despite the criticism surrounding Tuchel’s tactical decisions, the Football Association has publicly backed the German manager. FA chief executive Mark Bullingham praised the players and coaching staff for their efforts throughout the tournament and confirmed the organisation still believes Tuchel is the right man to lead England into Euro 2028.
Nevertheless, after another World Cup campaign ended in heartbreak, questions over England’s mentality and tactical approach are unlikely to disappear anytime soon.
